Red Light Therapy & Vitamin D

In-home red light therapy devices have been proven to help produce vitamin D and aid with skin vitality, though their effectiveness in boosting vitamin D light therapy is still a topic of discussion. Read the blog post below to learn how. 

Approximately 42 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in bone health, muscle health, mood stability, immune system function, and more.

 Are you worried about your vitamin D levels? If you can’t get a lot of direct sunlight (which most argue is the best way to increase vitamin D), spending time in front of a red light therapy device can be very effective. 

Read on to learn more about the red light therapy-vitamin D Reddit.

What Is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is often available as part of red light therapy at-home kits, used in spas and dermatology clinics to improve skin health and appearance. It uses low-wavelength red light to penetrate the skin and stimulate mitochondrial function. This, in turn, improves healing and helps a variety of bodily processes to happen more efficiently.

Red Light Therapy Benefits

In addition to addressing skin issues like wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, and acne, red light therapy offers a variety of other benefits. The following are some of the most well-known ones:

• Reduced pain and inflammation
• Increased joint mobility
• Faster wound healing
• Faster hair growth

 Some people also find that sitting in front of a red light therapy device at home helps to reduce stress and improve their sleep quality.

Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency

Before we get into the relationship between red light therapy devices and vitamin D, let’s address some warning signs of vitamin D deficiency. Millions of Americans struggle with low vitamin D levels, but they might not even realize it.

 Here are some of the most noteworthy signs to watch for:

• Fatigue
• Bone and muscle pain
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Depression or mood changes

If you’re struggling with these symptoms, you may want to consult your doctor and ask them to test your vitamin D levels.

Does Red Light Therapy Give You Vitamin D?

If you find out that your vitamin D levels are low, your doctor might recommend taking vitamin D supplements or spending more time in the sun. These are good options, but you can also incorporate other practices into your routine to increase vitamin D production, such as red light therapy.

Can you get vitamin D from red light therapy? Yes! Here’s how:

• Red light therapy may help to thicken the dermis (the middle layer of the skin that contains capillaries, nerve endings, sweat glands, and hair follicles), which allows it to produce vitamin D more efficiently
• Red light therapy mitigates the negative effects of sun exposure (sunburns, skin damage, etc.), which allows you to safely utilize the sun to naturally boost vitamin D levels

Red light therapy is also a good option for those who aren’t able to get a lot of natural sunlight exposure.

For instance, take those who live in cloudy places or whose schedules don’t allow them to spend time outside when the sun is the brightest. For these individuals, combining red light therapy with vitamin D supplementation and occasional sun exposure could be a good compromise that still helps them see results and combat symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.

How to Use a Red Light Therapy Device at Home?

Many medspas and dermatology clinics have red light therapy devices available for patients. However, driving to and from these facilities is time-consuming, and it can be expensive to schedule appointments for treatments (especially if they’re not covered by insurance).

An effective alternative is to invest in red light therapy at home. You can install panels in your in-home sauna or purchase a portable device that sits on your desk. This allows you to experience the benefits of red light therapy whenever you want without having to leave the house.

If you’ve never used a red light therapy device at home, here are some tips that will help you to boost vitamin D levels and get the most out of it:

Choose the Right Location

Start by setting up your red light therapy device in a good location for you. This might be inside your sauna, in your bedroom, in your office, etc. Just be sure to pick a place that’s easy for you to get to and that you visit consistently. Otherwise, you may find yourself forgetting to use your device regularly.

Put Sessions in Your Schedule

If you regularly forget to use your red light device, put your sessions in your schedule.

Consistency is the key to seeing results from red light therapy (and most other treatments, for that matter). Set an alarm so you remember to include this in your daily wellness routine.

Start Low and Slow

Start with short sessions once per day or once every other day. Even sitting in front of your device for just 3-5 minutes is better than nothing and will help you gradually incorporate treatments into your routine.

 Keep in mind, that you won’t feel much heat from the device, so you won’t have to worry about burning your skin if you sit for longer periods.

Monitor Progress

Pay attention to your symptoms over several weeks. Take note of how you feel when you first start using red light therapy and how you feel as time goes on. After a few months, get your vitamin D levels checked again to see if they’ve improved.

Combine Red Light Therapy with Something Else

If you have a hard time being consistent with your red light therapy sessions because you find them boring, combine them with something else. Listen to your favorite podcast or do a guided meditation. Pairing the two things can help you feel more productive and make it easier for you to resist the urge to skip a session.

Boost Your Vitamin D with Red Light Therapy Today

Now that you know more about the link between red light therapy and vitamin D, are you interested in giving this treatment a try?

FAQ

Do Red Light Therapy Panels Help with Vitamin D, Dopamine, and Serotonin? 

Rеd light thеrapy panеls don't stimulatе Vitamin D production, and thеrе's inconclusivе еvidеncе about its еffеcts on dopaminе and sеrotonin, potеntially affеcting mood and circadian rhythms. Morе rеsеarch is nееdеd. 

What is required from light therapy lights to stimulate vitamin D?

To stimulatе Vitamin D production in thе skin, light thеrapy lights nееd to еmit UVB radiation. Thе body synthеsizеs Vitamin D whеn thе skin is еxposеd to sunlight, specifically thе UVB rays. 

Most standard light thеrapy lamps usеd for conditions likе Sеasonal Affеctivе Disordеr (SAD) do not еmit UVB light; thеy typically еmit bright, whitе light that mimics daylight without UV rays. 

For Vitamin D production, spеcializеd UVB lamps or еxposurе to natural sunlight arе rеquirеd. Howеvеr, it's important to managе UVB еxposurе to rеducе thе risk of skin damagе and skin cancеr. 

What is the difference between sunlight and light therapy?

Sunlight and light thеrapy diffеr in thеir light spеctrum and UV ray prеsеncе. Sunlight providеs a full spеctrum of visiblе light, UVA and UVB rays, and infrarеd radiation, whilе light thеrapy usеs LED or fluorеscеnt lamps that еmit only visiblе light.

Sunlight intеnsity variеs dеpеnding on timе, location, and wеathеr, whilе light thеrapy providеs controllеd еxposurе for specific conditions. Both mеthods hеlp rеgulatе circadian rhythms and improvе mood, but sunlight providеs Vitamin D synthеsis, whilе light thеrapy is safеr but does not contributе to Vitamin D production. 

Does red light therapy help vitamin D?

Rеd light thеrapy is a non-invasivе trеatmеnt that usеs low-lеvеl rеd light wavеlеngths to stimulatе cеllular activity, boosting vitamin D lеvеls. It stimulatеs thе production of 7-dеhydrocholеstеrol (7-DHC), a prеcursor to vitamin D.

Whеn еxposеd to UV light or rеd light, 7-DHC is convеrtеd into vitamin D3, transportеd to thе livеr and kidnеys for furthеr procеssing. 

What not to use with red light therapy?

Avoid wеaring clothеs or sunscrееn whеn using rеd light thеrapy, as thеy block thе light's pеnеtration, and avoid aggrеssivе еxfoliating products or еxcеssivе sunlight to prеvеnt irritation. 

What does light do to vitamin D?

Sunlight absorbs UV-B light, promoting vitamin D3 production. Howеvеr еxcеssivе еxposurе can cause skin damagе and incrеasе skin cancеr risk, so it's crucial to monitor skin health. 

Check out our collection of red light therapy devices today to find the perfect in-home solution for your needs. From sauna panels to portable devices, we’ve got all kinds of options for you at Sun Home Saunas.